[dataway]

For those of you that have been guiding me through this project here are some details about the product, and my painting plan.

Paint: Automotive Art Motobase LV (Low VOC) Verdoro Green
Tech sheet info:
Mix 1:1
Suggested pressures: 21-29 psi, 1.3 - 1.4mm (HVLP)
45-60 psi, 1.3 - 1.4mm (Conv)
Coats: 2-3 medium wet coats
Time between coats: 5-10 mins (at 68f) (or until matt)
To Clearcoat: 10-15 min. (at 68f) (or until matt)
Recommend Reducer for 85+ degs, Slow
Dry/Wet sand 600/800 before base coat

Temps @ 80 deg ( will attempt to keep panels out of direct sun), slow reducers and activators.
Wait times after each step in ( )
Day 1: Trunk Lid and Valance (easiest to fix if there is a problem)
Seal coat (30 min)
base coat #1 (10 min) (with cap full of clear activator)
base coat #2 (10 min) (w/activator)
base coat #3 (if needed), (w/activator) 30 min (? Opinions on this wait time to clear),
clear coat #1, (30 min)
clear coat #2 (30 min)
clear coat #3 (based on amount of product I'm using)

Day 2: @75 degrees Same products as above.
Painting/clearing two doors in the afternoon (need wife's help to hang them)

Day 3: Temps ? (hopefully low to mid 70's) will probably be the following week, will use same products. Same timing.
Body shell from cowl to rear.


Obviously this product has some pretty quick recoat windows, I'm guessing that's because it's Low VOC (not something I'm a fan of in most other products). So ... any opinions on the timing I plan on using with this product? And modifications or suggestions you would make?

Initial plan is to shoot everything at about 25 psi. 1.4mm, LPH-400.

Have at it .... as I plan to start tomorrow. I realize it's not ideal to paint on different days with metallic ... no choice.

[dataway]

Also any advice on gun technique for shooting metallic would be welcome. What I gather so far is .... more distance from the surface, wide fan, more overlap.

[dhutton]

Personally I would wait longer between coats of base and before clear. The last thing you want to do is trap solvents in that base which will lead to die back. I do thirty minutes between coats of base and a couple of hours before clear.

Longer is generally better and ultimately faster with this work.

Don

[Rob in NH]

Don't paint in direct sunlight, the panel will get to hot and the paint won't flow like it should.

[dataway]

Don, would you think the times listed in the tech sheet are MINIMUM times? That would make sense if the info is directed towards commercial users.

In my case I've got about a 4 hour window to go from seal coat to last coat of clear, and an 8 hour max window according to the tech sheet to get the first coat of clear on. Four hours because of temp/humidity/sunshine considerations, 8 hour max because the tech sheet says after 8 hours it requires sanding and reshooting the base.

I'm guessing the low VOC product has less solvents?

[dhutton]

Originally Posted by dataway

Don, would you think the times listed in the tech sheet are MINIMUM times? That would make sense if the info is directed towards commercial users.

Yes I think they are. Production is the main priority in collision shops. The assumption is very uniform application which is not always the case with novice painters.

Don

[dataway]

Doesn't seem to be much info on shooting the Motobase even on the SPI forum.

[roger1]

I think you are getting good advice here. The only thing I would add is that I think it would be good to contact Chad since he not only sells your product but uses it in his shop too.

[dataway]

Sent an email to Chad's tech support, basically just asking for any advice he has, or if I need to do anything different than the tech sheet recommends. Might have to give painting a miss today, extremely hot out.

[indymanjoe]

Good thread for us that want to paint a car for the first time. This is interesting to me, thanks.

[bdk1976]

Why shoot the doors separate? Why not jamb them out on day 0 and hang them on the car so you can shoot it all at once?

[MUSLCAH]

The old age code of bodymen/ painters….” if you can tack it…you can whack it.”

[MUSLCAH]

Hey Don…..how come nobody has told Dataway how to avoid solvent popping after his last coat of Clearcoat…………? You guys are mean !

[dataway]

Chad said I can wait longer than the specified times if I need to, actually the opposite of what I want to do, which is come close to following the tech sheet. He said he gets full coverage of the base, waits overnight, sands and reshoots the base. Not sure why I should do that ... why shoot more coats the next day if you have full coverage already? Plus I'd probably need to buy more paint to do that.

He did not mention any problems I might have if I did follow the tech sheet times.

I'm going to be the Guinea Pig, since I'm going to use reducer a bit slower than I should for the temps I'm going to go by the tech sheet suggestions, but double all the wait times. That should not be too far out bounds of the tech sheet, and should give extra time for solvents to do what they have to do.

Is there a reason to suspect the tech sheet info is wrong, or would not work for me?

How many of you have shot Low VOC base coats? Do you find any differences?

I'm hoping to avoid solvent pop by first, using a slow reducer, not spraying too heavy, and moving the parts inside out of the heat as soon as possible after clear. I'm going to try for the longest wait I can between base coats and the first coat of clear. I can't think of anything else other than upping spray pressure some.

Muslcah I'd be happy to hear your suggestions.

[dhutton]

Originally Posted by MUSLCAH

Hey Don…..how come nobody has told Dataway how to avoid solvent popping after his last coat of Clearcoat…………? You guys are mean !

Well in my case I just shut off the fan and turn off the lights ASAP. Not sure how that applies in the case of spraying outside but I would get it out of the sun ASAP.

Please share your wisdom! I’ve never sprayed outside in the full sun.

Don

[nytrainer]

Are you using SPI clear (universal, euro?). You seem to have a handle on procedure (flash times, no double coating, etc) and if you’re using the right temperature clear catalyst and slow reducer you should be fine. Only thing I keep on hand is retarder if it’s warmer than 85 ish and I don’t have any “very slow” reducer on hand. I only keep medium and slow reducer on hand and use retarder if I need a slower drying reducer and a polar accelerator if opposite (rarely).
Keep in mind use of retarder will extend flash time a bit but good insurance if conditions are ripe for solvent pop.

[dhutton]

Originally Posted by dataway

Chad said I can wait longer than the specified times if I need to, actually the opposite of what I want to do, which is come close to following the tech sheet. He said he gets full coverage of the base, waits overnight, sands and reshoots the base. Not sure why I should do that ... why shoot more coats the next day if you have full coverage already? Plus I'd probably need to buy more paint to do that.

He did not mention any problems I might have if I did follow the tech sheet times.

I'm going to be the Guinea Pig, since I'm going to use reducer a bit slower than I should for the temps I'm going to go by the tech sheet suggestions, but double all the wait times. That should not be too far out bounds of the tech sheet, and should give extra time for solvents to do what they have to do.

Is there a reason to suspect the tech sheet info is wrong, or would not work for me?

How many of you have shot Low VOC base coats? Do you find any differences?

I'm hoping to avoid solvent pop by first, using a slow reducer, not spraying too heavy, and moving the parts inside out of the heat as soon as possible after clear. I'm going to try for the longest wait I can between base coats and the first coat of clear. I can't think of anything else other than upping spray pressure some.

Muslcah I'd be happy to hear your suggestions.

Never shoot clear over base that has been sanded. You have to respray base if you sand it.

Don

[roger1]

I think you might save yourself a lot of grief if you don't try to spray your base and clear in the same day. Spray your sealer and base in the very early AM and move back inside. Then the next day start early again and spray your clear. That way you can get it back inside before the sun is high enough to heat it up. Plus, it's just better to wait overnight to apply clear over base and the temperatures are cooler in the early AM.

If you just can't do that, is there anyway you can get enough stand lights to enable you to spray when it's dark? Then you could spray the sealer and base at sunrise and move it back inside for the day and then back outside at dusk to lightly tack and clear. Would bugs then be too much of a problem where you live doing that?

You have a very challenging situation. I'd be stressed even without all these extra challenges.

[Rob in NH]

What are you using for clear and how many coats are you planning to do?

[MUSLCAH]

Yup….spray it in the dark ,with a miners helmet…and have a good pair of tweezers in your free hand…..